February 10: "Financial Intelligence Unit Of The Ministry Of National Security Is Going To Be Scrapped"

1950:Arthur Kenneth Croston, lecturer in English literature at the University of Liverpool, is appointed to the chair of English in the University College of the West Indies.

1955:Abe Issa, director of the Myrtle Bank and Tower Isle hotels, is appointed representative for Jamaica on the foreign hotels committee of the American Society for Travel Agents. The committee consists of representatives from France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Jamaica, England and Nassau.

1956: The Church of the Little Flower (St Theresa’s), in Vineyard Town, is the scene of a simple wedding when Miss Anna Webster, daughter of Mr Carl Webster of Braemar Avenue, marries Mr Richard Issa, son of Mr and Mrs Joseph Issa of South Camp Road, Kingston. The bride’s father is the director of the firm of JS Webster and Sons and EA Issa and Brothers. The church is beautifully decorated with white and pink chrysanthemums for the service which is conducted by the Rev Father Charles Eberle, SJ, assisted by Monsignor Gladstone Wilson and Rev Father Butler. The young bride is radiant as she walks up the aisle escorted by her father. She wears a dress of white Chantilly lace and nylon tulle over taffeta. The wedding service and the reception are attended by immediate relatives and friends of both families.

1957: Rudolph Bent, welterweight boxing champion of British Honduras leaves Jamaica by Pan American Clipper for Miami on his way to Boston, Massachusetts. He came to Jamaica six months ago and won four of six fights. The Honduras welterweight defeated Wilfredo Miro of Cuba on February 9 by a TKO in the sixth round of a scheduled ten-rounder at Sabina Park. Bent was under contract to Stanley Mair, local boxing promoter, during his stay.

1957:Second trial match for the selection of the team to play against the Duke of Norfolk’s cricketers in late February (1957) ends at Nelson Oval with Johnny Grove’s XI emerging victors. They replied to Rae’s XI of 174, with 346 for ten wickets. Both sides bat with twelve men. Highlight of the afternoon’s cricket is an easy stylish innings by JK Holt of a level hundred. Holt seems to be on top form, scoring almost completely at will off the varied attack and hitting a total of fourteen fours.

1958:A ceremonial procession followed by divine service at St. James Cathedral, Spanish Town, marks the opening of the 88th Annual Synod of the Church of England in Jamaica. Attending the service is Governor Kenneth Blackburne, Mr. Arthur Ringwalt, United States Consul General and other distinguished persons. Shortly after 4:30 pm, the long procession passes along the square and enters the Cathedral led by scarlet-robed choir boys, lay representatives of the Anglican Churches of Jamaica, followed by seventy members of the clergy.

1964:The World Chief Guide, Lady Olive Baden-Powell, begins her visit to Jamaica when she attends a guide rally at Westwood High School. “I come as a sort of messenger to give you a little pat on the back and to tell you that you are being encouraged by all the other guides who belong to this movement,” Lady Baden-Powell says, waving a cheerful hello to the several guide companies and brownies from the parishes of St. Ann and Trelawny which are neatly lined up on the tennis court below the school.

1964:A proposal that a new public holiday should be designated Patriot’s Day is made by the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation Council. A letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs is read at the monthly meeting of the Council. It is states that the matter is being given consideration by the Ministry.

1964:Lady Bustamante opens the front door of Ward I and declares the Children’s Hospital officially open. Attending the opening ceremonies are Alexander Bustamante, some members of his Cabinet, members of the Hospitals (Kingston Region) Management Board and a large gathering of the populace. Several speakers pay tribute to the enthusiasm and help of Ministries, the Hospital Board, firms and individuals who contributed to the successful establishment of the institution which was formerly the Military Hospital.

1968:Peter Smith, sales manager of Industrial Gases Ltd, announces that a yearly scholarship, specifically for the study of welding, pipe-fitting and electrical installation, is to be offered by the firm. The scholarship is valued at £20.00 per annum.

1973: A new deep-water pier is to be constructed in Port Antonio. The existing deep-water pier at Folly in that town, built at a cost of $375,000, has a technical defect, and tourist cruise ships are being refused to park there.

1978: The Cuban government is to build and equip six more schools over various parts of Jamaica in a two-year programme estimated to cost US$23 million, approximately J$316 million. Three schools will be in a residential area with 300 students each. Two will be gaming schools for sports beginners with 1,000 students each, and one college for training of teachers and coaches of physical education with 300-600 students.

1982:The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Ministry of National Security is going to be scrapped. The FIU was established in 1974 by the People’s National Party government to tackle ‘economic crimes’ such as currency smuggling, income-tax evasion, imports racke-teering and customs duty fraud.

1982: A small quantity of $10, $5 and $1 coins dated 1980 are to be put in circulation through the commercial banks on behalf of the Bank of Jamaica. The coins were originally designed and minted exclusively for numismatic purposes.

1986: Minister of public utilities and transport, Pearnel Charles, tells a press briefing at his office that a new transport authority act which, among other things, will make it a legal requirement for minibuses to give passengers tickets, is being drafted.

1989:Michael Manley, prime minister-elect, says he will consider a bipartisan approach to the problems of crime, security and drug trafficking. This, he says, after members of the press corps ask whether he would consider an amnesty to bring in illegal guns.